Purée of Lentils
1 pint of lentils
1 head of celery
1 onion
1 turnip
1 carrot
1 slice of ham
3 pints stock or water
1 gill of cream
Soak the lentils in water over night. Let the vegetables (which should be cut up) and the ham stew gently in the butter for ten minutes. Strain the lentils from the water they have soaked in. Put them with the ham, vegetables and stock into a sauce-pan. Bring to the boil and simmer for two hours. Strain off the liquid. Pound and mash the lentils, etc., and pass them through a sieve. Return them to the liquid. Boil up again. Add a tea-spoonful of powdered sugar, seasoning and the cream, scalded. Serve with fried bread (see [p. 103]).